| Today's Economy
LatAm Daily Briefing: Open Wound Informal work threatens to turn the initial supply shock occasioned by COVID-19 into a full-fledged economic depression. Europe Daily Briefing: EU's Unity Strained by COVID-19 Finance ministers should eventually break the impasse and push through a major fiscal package. High-Yield Bond Offerings Imply Some Still Have a Taste for Risk Further deterioration of corporate credit quality and more credit rating downgrades are likely. Asia-Pacific Daily Briefing: Japan Is in Trouble Core machinery orders rose in February, but that's not going to last. » VIEW MORE TODAY'S ECONOMY
Commentary
The Essential Economy A key segment of the U.S. workforce is at risk of furloughs and temporary layoffs. U.S. Jobless Claims Poised to Keep Setting Records Amid the COVID-19 crisis, we expect a third straight week of historic highs in unemployment insurance claims. COVID-19: Top 10 Questions and Answers How will the crisis fundamentally change the way we live and work? Latin America Outlook: Unavoidable Recession in 2020 The economic fall will be deeper than that during the 2008-2009 recession. » VIEW MORE COMMENTARY
Today's Economic Indicators
OECD
Composite Leading Indicators
Mar. 2020: 98.8
After taking a month off to let the dust settle in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, the OECD composite leading indicator posted its lowest reading since the 2008 recession, coming in at 98.8 in amplitude-adjusted terms. United States
MBA Mortgage Applications Survey
April 03: -17.9%
Mortgage applications decreased by 17.9% over the week of April 3, after increasing 15.3% in the previous week. Chile
Consumer Price Index
Mar. 2020: 3.73%
Chile’s inflation adjusted down slightly in March but remained high and above target as prices continued to increase. Canada
Housing Starts
Mar. 2020: 195 ths
Residential construction in Canada declined for the second consecutive month in March. Canada
Building Permits
Feb. 2020: -7.3%
The total value of building permits issued by Canadian municipalities decreased 7.3% to C$8.6 billion in February, due in part to falling residential permits. Mexico
Industrial Production
Feb. 2020: -1.9%
Mexico’s industry reported an annual contraction in February, prolonging the economy’s weakness. United States
Oil Inventories
April 03: 484.4 mil barrels
Another mammoth inventory build is bad news for struggling oil prices. United States
FOMC Minutes
Mar. 2020:
The minutes from the Federal Reserve’s two emergency meetings in March highlight its concern that the economy is deteriorating rapidly and needed a forceful response. » VIEW MORE ECONOMIC INDICATORS | 
